Sandy Hook Promise, the Leading National Gun Violence Prevention Organization, Sends Letter to NBC Chairman to Not Broadcast Megyn Kelly's Interview with Alex Jones

NEWTOWN, Conn., June 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The following is a letter from Nicole Hockley, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Sandy Hook Promise:

Dear Mr. Lack,

As a co-founder and managing director of Sandy Hook Promise, and as mother of six-year-old Dylan, who was killed in the Sandy Hook School shooting, I respectfully ask you not to broadcast Megyn Kelly's interview with Alex Jones.

That Jones could posit that what happened in Newtown was a hoax is beyond reprehensible; it is indefensible. It dishonors the lives of the 20 children and 6 adults who died on Dec. 14, 2012. The exposure that Jones will receive as a result of the broadcast will enrich him further and invigorate him and his supporters. 

There is undeniable evidence that whenever conspiracy theorists are given a platform or voice, it bolsters them.    

Sadly, since shortly after the shooting, a growing  group of hoaxers has made it their mission to harass families in Sandy Hook.  They claim that the shooting never happened, that no one died, that some of us are just crisis actors, paid to play a role for political or policy reasons.  It goes without saying that many of these hoaxers stay hidden behind their anonymous avatars, with cowardly attacks mainly on social media.  But some, like Jones, come forward.  Some of them do become dangerous, and it is not uncommon for us to receive ongoing acts of harassment, hate mail and death threats as they feed off one another.  This is best seen in the DC pizza shooting threat which was driven by Alex.  To have to deal with this, on top of having lost a child, is both disgusting and unbearable. 

We respect the thought and approach, however, you missed the larger impact in that giving Alex a platform and national forum, the real impact will be on families.  

Listening to Alex Jones's comments in the last 24 hours, it is obvious he is basking in the platform he has already been given due to the outcry and is baiting you to air the show.  Please - don't make this about him. Make this about the people he and his followers harm. 

I urge you not to broadcast Alex Jones' interview.

Sincerely,
Nicole Hockley (Dylan's Mom)

SOURCE Sandy Hook Promise